SA envoy sneaked sim cards into Gaza

A South African diplomat smuggled sim cards into the Gaza Strip using his official vehicle, it has emerged in a high court case in Pretoria.

Rafique Gangat, who was the head of South Africa's mission in Palestine from January 2003 to June 2004, justified his action "on the basis that the citizens of Gaza had the right to freely communicate", said Judge Neil Tuchten.

"It is hardly necessary to state how serious a breach of [Gangat's] duties this was. It could very seriously have compromised [South Africa's] stated intention of acting to bring peace to this troubled region."

Gangat admitted smuggling sim cards, under cover of his diplomatic status, during an appeal against an earlier finding of the court. He wanted damages from the minister of international relations for the loss of earnings and allowances when a four-year posting to Ramallah was cancelled after 18 months.

Dismissing his appeal, Tuchten said Gangat was transferred back to South Africa when Pretoria's mission in the West Bank city became dysfunctional under his leadership.

"The dysfunctionality arose because of conflict between [Gangat] on the one hand and two officers stationed at the Ramallah mission and some locally recruited personnel on the other," said the judge.

Two investigations found that Gangat had "failed to provide sound leadership to the mission at Ramallah and recommended that he be recalled".

Said Tuchten: "The dysfunctionality of a South African mission to this volatile and potentially violent part of the world could give rise to a diplomatic crisis. [Officials] were quite right to view the situation as serious and to recommend urgent remedial action to the minister."

Gangat's LinkedIn page says he is a "former South African ambassador, currently communication and media consultant in the Levant region".

It says he has "years of institutional knowledge and experience, but maintains an open mind, a willingness to learn and a desire to adapt to new challenges perceived as opportunities".